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Kenya to face Samoa

NAIROBI, Kenya, January 5 – Kenya will lock horns with Samoa in the main cup quarter finals of the New Zealand Sevens after finishing second in Pool C in Wellington on Friday.

Benjamin Ayimba’s side lost to England 24-10 in a bruising battle at the West Pac Trust stadium after going ahead in the first minute through a try from vice captain Gibson Weru.

Engalnd fought back with four quick tries including a brace for Dan Caprice, Mat Turner and Chris Brightwell.

Veteran Innocent Simiyu scored a consolation try for Kenya in the final minute but it was not enough against the victors.

Earlier Kenya had won its two matches to book a place in the main cup quarters after beating Tonga 15-7 and USA 24-7.

Lavin Asego was the star of the show with a brace of tries against USA and creating another as his side came back from 7-5 down at half time at Westpac Trust Stadium.

The Americans opended the scoring in the second minute through Milemoti Pulu with a length of the field try.

Paul Emerick who was the architect of the stunning score shrugged off two Kenyan tackles and sprinted down the near touchline then passed inside to Pulu who raced over for the try.

Benjamin Ayimba’s charges responded at the restart through Innocent Simiyu who benefited from Asego’s spadework.

The Mwamba flyhalf beat two defenders in his 22 and swept upfield and offloaded in the tackle to Simiyu who took on and beat a covering American defender to score in the corner.

The second half was all Kenya who put the squeeze on the Americans who were struggling with the pressure put on them in the tight.

Asego scored his first try from a quick tap penalty from which he ran in unopposed to take Kenya into the lead 10-7.

With the swagger back, Asego and halfback partner Gibson Weru combined well in the lead up to Collins Injera’s gem of a try.

With two defenders closing him down, Injera chipped ahead and out paced his markers to ground the ball to extend his team’s lead to 17-7.

Asego performed the last act with another brilliant individual try.

From the put in a ten metre scrum, Asego who shifted to scrumhalf for the closing stages of the match picked up the ball and stepped off his right foot to beat his opposite number and score in the corner.